Trench Drain System and Method of Installation on Level Floor Surface, Particularly for Shower Rooms

ABSTRACT

A trench drain system and method of installation thereof on a level floor surface. An elongate channel member is placed on the floor surface. A preformed elongate sloping member having a thick end tapering to a thin end in inserted into the channel with its thin end closest to the channel drain opening, thereby forming an inclined sloping surface. A grate extends over the channel inlet. The area adjacent the channel is filled to the height of the channel, whereby water thereon flows through the grate into the channel, along the inclined surface and out through the drain opening. The channel can be placed adjacent a vertical wall whereby wall tile may be installed over a channel top edge. The floor area adjacent the channel is filled with preformed sloping sheet members or with plastically formable material positioned at an incline using a floor height setting post.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority ofapplication Ser. No. 12/844,660 filed on Jul. 27, 2010 entitledPerimeter Drainage System for Showers, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of trench drains. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to trench drain systems thatcan be installed on level floor surfaces.

2. Background

Floors of shower rooms, garages, driveways, etc. are today oftenequipped with trench drains for drainage of water therefrom. The floormust be installed with a slope toward the trench drain whereby water onthe floor may flow toward and into the trench drain. The trench drainmust similarly be sloped toward an opening so that water falling intothe trench drain may travel to and flow out through the trench drainoutlet. The installation of a trench drain system with a proper floorslope to the trench drain and a proper trench drain slope to its outletcan be difficult and burdensome, especially when the trench drain mustbe installed over an existing level floor surface. Accordingly a needexists for an improved trench drain system and method of installation onlevel floor surfaces which is relatively easy to install and reliable,particularly for shower rooms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one form thereof the present invention is directed to a method ofinstalling a trench drain on a level floor surface comprising the stepsof: placing an elongate channel member on the floor surface, the channelmember having a bottom surface, side walls extending upwardly therefromto side walls top edges, a channel inlet between the side walls topedges and a drain opening; inserting a preformed elongate sloping memberhaving a thick end tapering to a thin end into the channel on the bottomsurface with the thin end closest to the channel drain opening, thesloping member forming an inclined surface sloping toward the drainopening; and, filling an area adjacent the channel over the floorsurface with a material to the height of a channel side wall top edge,whereby liquid on the material may flow into the channel member throughthe channel inlet and along the inclined surface and out through thechannel drain opening.

Preferably, the method further comprises the step of covering theinclined surface with an impermeable covering layer and the coveringlayer is preformed and is inserted into the channel over and coveringthe inclined surface. The method further comprises the step of locatingan elongate grate over the channel opening. During said step of placing,a channel side wall top edge is placed adjacent a vertical wall, andwall tile are adhered on the vertical wall over the adjacent side walltop edge, whereby liquid on the vertical wall tile may also flow intothe channel member. The sloping member may be preformed of a materialselected from one or more of foam, plastic and fiberglass. The channeldrain opening may extend through the channel bottom surface, and a pipecan be connected traversing through the floor surface to the channeldrain opening. Alternatively, the channel drain opening extends in partthrough a channel side wall, and a pipe is connected traversing over thefloor surface to the channel drain opening. Preferably, during said stepof filling, the material is filled to at least the height of a channelside wall top edge.

A plurality of preformed elongate sloping members each having a thickend tapering to a thin end can be inserted into the channel on thebottom surface. A first one of the plurality of elongate sloping membersincludes a thin end having a thickness substantially equal to a thickend of second elongate sloping member, and wherein said ends havingsubstantially equal thicknesses are placed adjacent one another, wherebythe first and second sloping members form a continuous sloping inclinedsurface.

The elongate channel member may comprise one or more preformed channelsections selected from elongate straight channel sections, 90° cornersections, 45° corner sections, 30° corner sections and sections with adrain opening and wherein, during said step of placing, a plurality ofchannel sections are adhered to one another for thereby forming theelongate channel member.

Additionally, during said step of filling, a floor height setting posthaving a base adapted to sit on the floor surface and a post extendingvertically upwardly therefrom to a terminal end is placed on the floorsurface with the terminal end extending to a height higher than achannel side wall top edge, and wherein the fill material is plasticallyformable and is positioned forming an inclined floor surface slopingfrom the post terminal end toward the channel side wall top edge, theplastically formable material thereafter hardening into a solidmaterial. The post terminal end includes stacked breakaway sections and,prior to said step of filling, a breakaway section is removed forthereby providing a post terminal end extending to a desired height.

Alternatively, during said step of filling, a preformed sloping sheetmember having a thick end tapering to a thin end is placed on the levelfloor surface with the thin end adjacent the channel, wherein thepreformed sheet member forms an inclined floor surface sloping towardthe channel side wall top edge. The sloping sheet member is preformed ofa material selected from one or more of foam, plastic and fiberglass.The trench drain can be installed in a shower room including a showerspray head adapted to spray water onto the fill material.

In another form thereof, the present invention is directed to a trenchdrain system for installation on a level floor surface comprising: anelongate channel member having a bottom surface, side walls extendingupwardly therefrom to side walls top edges, a channel inlet between theside walls top edges and a drain opening, said elongate channel adaptedto be placed on a level floor surface; and, a preformed elongate slopingmember having a thick end tapering to a thin end adapted to be insertedinto said channel on said bottom surface thereof with said thin endclosest to said channel drain opening, said sloping member forming aninclined surface sloping toward said drain opening whereby, by fillingan area adjacent said channel over the level floor surface with amaterial to a height of a channel side wall top edge, liquid on theadjacent fill material can flow into the channel member through thechannel inlet and along said inclined surface and out through saidchannel drain opening.

Preferably, an impermeable covering layer is adapted to be placed overand covering the inclined surface; an elongate grate is adapted to belocated over the channel opening; and, the sloping member is preformedof a material selected from one or more of foam, plastic, andfiberglass. The channel drain opening may extend through the channelbottom surface and be adapted for connecting a pipe thereto and/or thechannel drain opening may extend in part through a channel side wall andbe adapted for connecting a pipe thereto. Further, the elongate channelmember may comprise one or more preformed channel sections selected fromelongate straight channel sections, 90° corner sections, 45° cornersections, 30° corner sections and sections with a drain opening, saidchannel sections adapted to selectively be adhered to one another forthereby forming the elongate channel member. An impermeable coveringlayer may be provided and adapted to be placed over and covering theinclined surface. An elongate grate may be provided and adapted to belocated over the channel opening. The sloping member is preferablypreformed of a material selected from one or more of foam, plastic, andfiberglass.

In yet another form thereof, the present invention is directed to amethod of installing a trench drain on a floor surface comprising thesteps of: placing an elongate channel member on the floor surface, thechannel member having a bottom surface, side walls extending upwardlytherefrom to side walls top edges, a channel inlet between the sidewalls top edges and a drain opening; wherein, during said step ofplacing, a channel side wall top edge is placed adjacent a verticalwall; adhering wall tile on the vertical wall over the adjacent sidewall top edge; and, filling an area adjacent the channel over the floorsurface with a material to a height of a channel side wall top edge,whereby liquid on the fill material and on the vertical wall tile mayflow into the channel member through the channel inlet and then outthrough the channel drain opening.

Preferably the method further comprises the step of locating an elongategrate over the channel opening. The channel drain opening may extendthrough the channel bottom surface, and the method further comprises thestep of connecting a pipe traversing through the floor surface to thechannel drain opening. The channel drain opening may extend in partthrough a channel side wall, and the method further comprises the stepof connecting a pipe traversing over the floor surface to the channeldrain opening. Preferably, the elongate channel member comprises one ormore preformed channel sections selected from elongate straight channelsections, 90° corner sections, 45° corner sections, 30° corner sectionsand sections with a drain opening and wherein, during said step ofplacing, a plurality of channel sections are adhered to one another forthereby forming the elongate channel member.

During said step of filling, a floor height setting post having a baseadapted to sit on the floor surface and a post extending verticallyupwardly therefrom to a terminal end may be placed on the floor surfacewith the terminal end extending to a height higher than a channel sidewall top edge, and the fill material is plastically formable and ispositioned forming an inclined floor surface sloping from the postterminal end toward the channel side wall top edge, the plasticallyformable material thereafter hardening into a solid material. The postterminal end may include stacked breakaway sections and, prior to saidstep of filling, a breakaway section is removed for thereby providing apost terminal end extending to a desired height.

During said step of filling, a preformed sloping sheet member having athick end tapering to a thin end may be placed on the level floorsurface with the thin end adjacent the channel, whereby the preformedsheet member forms an inclined floor surface sloping toward the channelside wall top edge. The sloping sheet member is preferably preformed ofa material selected from one or more of foam, plastic, and fiberglass.The trench drain may be installed in a shower room including a showerspray head adapted to spray water onto the fill material.

In yet another form thereof, the present invention is directed to methodof installing a trench drain on a level floor surface comprising thesteps of: placing an elongate channel member on the floor surface, thechannel member having a bottom surface, side walls extending upwardlytherefrom to side walls top edges, a channel inlet between the sidewalls top edges and a drain opening; and, filling an area adjacent thechannel over the level floor surface with a preformed sloping sheetmember having a thick end tapering to a thin end by placing the sheetmember on the level floor surface with the thin end adjacent the channeland thereby forming an inclined floor surface sloping toward a channelside wall top edge, whereby liquid on the inclined floor surface mayflow into the channel member through the channel inlet and then outthrough the channel drain opening.

In another form thereof, the invention is directed to a method ofinstalling a trench drain on a floor surface comprising the steps of:placing an elongate channel member on the floor surface, the channelmember having a bottom surface, side walls extending upwardly therefromto side walls top edges, a channel inlet between the side walls topedges and a drain opening; filling an area adjacent the channel over thefloor surface with a material to a height of a channel side wall topedge; and, wherein, during said step of filling, a floor height settingpost having a base adapted to sit on the floor surface and a postextending vertically upwardly therefrom to a terminal end is placed onthe floor surface with the terminal end extending to a height higherthan the channel side wall top edge, and wherein the fill material isplastically formable and is positioned forming an inclined floor surfacesloping from the post terminal end toward the channel side wall topedge, the plastically formable material thereafter hardening into asolid material, whereby liquid on the inclined floor surface may flowinto the channel member through the channel inlet and then out throughthe channel drain opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above mentioned and other features of this invention, and the mannerof attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itselfwill be better understood by reference to the following description ofthe embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shower room including a trench drainsystem constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention and installed at the perimeter of the floor;

FIG. 2 is a is an exploded perspective view of the trench drain systemshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the trench drain system shown inFIG. 1 taken along line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a partial exploded perspective view of the trench drain systemshown in FIG. 1, similar to FIG. 2 but depicting several of the trenchdrain components in greater detail;

FIG. 5 is a perspective exploded view of a preformed elongate slopingmember of the trench drain system constructed and severed into smallersections in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view depicting a floor adjacent a trench drainsystem which has been installed using a floor height setting post inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is perspective view of another floor adjacent a trench drainsystem which has been installed using a plurality of floor heightsetting posts in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of a floor height setting post shown inFIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a trench drain systemconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventionadjacent an inclined floor surface;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view depicting a floor adjacent a trench drainsystem which has been installed using preformed sloping sheet members inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a stock preformed sloping sheet memberof the trench drain system depicting the severing thereof into smallerpreformed sheet sections in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of inclined floor surface constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of several components of the trench drainsystem and depicting a drain opening extending through a channel sidewall;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of a trench drain system constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention and showing adrain pipe connected thereto and traversing over a level floor surface;and,

FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of the trench drain system shown inFIG. 14.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout several views. Although the exemplification set out hereinillustrates embodiments of the invention, in several forms, theembodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to beconstrued as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise formsdisclosed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring initially to FIG. 1, a shower room generally depicted by thenumeral 10 is shown wherein a trench drain system 12 has been installedon a level floor surface 14. The trench drain system 12 is installedalong the perimeter of the raised shower inclined floor surface 16adjacent the shower vertical walls 18S, 18LS, 18RS and 18B. Preferably,the inclined floor surface 16 is covered with floor tile 20 and/or othersufficiently slip resistant and visually appealing surface covering. Theinclined floor surface 16 slopes toward the elongate grate 22 of thetrench drain system 12 whereby water sprayed thereon from a shower sprayhead 24 flows to the grate 22 for drainage away therefrom. It iscontemplated that the trench drain system 12 of the present inventioncan also be installed in floors of rooms and areas other than showersand also for drainage of liquids other than water so long as suchliquids can flow along the inclined floor surface 16 to the grate 22thereof.

The preferred method of installation and trench drain system 12 includesan elongate channel member 26 which is preferably constructed bysecurely adhering together one or more preformed channel sections 28including but not limited to: elongate straight channel sections 28S;90° corner channel sections 28C90; 45° corner channel sections 28C45(not shown); 30° corner channel sections 28C30 (not shown); channelbottom drain sections 28DB; and, channel side wall drain sections 28DS.Each of the channel sections 28 are generally U-shaped having a bottomwall 30 defining a bottom surface 30S; side walls 32 extendingvertically upwardly from the bottom wall 30; and, rim projections 34extending horizontally from the top of the side walls 32 and definingside walls top edges 34E. An elongate channel inlet 36 is, hence,defined between the rim projections 34 or side wall top edges 34E intothe channel member 26. The bottom wall 30 of each of the sections 28 ishorizontally disposed and is thereby adapted to be placed on a generallyflat level floor surface 14.

The channel bottom drain sections 28DB include a drain opening/outlet 38extending through their bottom wall 30. Similarly, channel side walldrain sections 28DS include a drain opening/outlet 38 extending throughtheir side wall 32. Drain openings 38 are adapted for connecting a pipe40 thereto in a known and customary manner. It is noted that one or moreof each of the drain sections 28DB and/or 28DS can be used in a trenchdrain 26 installation.

The terminal ends of each of the channel sections 28 are provided withone of a female attachment groove 42 and/or a male attachment extension44. Grooves 42 are adapted to slidingly receive the extensions 44 forattachment of the channel sections 28 to one another. Additionally,coupling members 46 may be used for joining shorter lengths to oneanother, and end cap members 48 may be used at terminal ends of anelongate channel 26 as, for example, shown in FIG. 9. Preferably, eachof the channel sections 28, coupling members 46, end cap members 48 andpipe 40 are made of PVC plastic and are hermetically secured and sealedto one another with a PVC adhesive. As should now be appreciated, theseveral channel sections 28 are selectively attachable and secured toone another for forming any desired elongate shape channel member 26.

Trench drain system 12 includes a preformed elongate sloping member 50adapted to be received in the channel member 26, through the inletopening 36, and located on the bottom wall surface 30S for therebyforming an inclined surface 50I sloping toward the drain opening 38. Theelongate sloping member 50 includes a terminal thick end 50K taperingdown to a terminal thin end 50N, a bearing surface 50B, a top inclinedsurface 50I and side walls 50S. When inserted into the channel member26, the bearing surface 50B sits or bears on the channel bottom wallsurface 30S and the side walls 50S are located adjacent the channel sidewalls 32. Preferably, the preformed elongate sloping member 50 is madeof a material selected from one or more of foam, plastic, andfiberglass.

As best seen in FIG. 5, sloping member 50 can be provided in stock longlengths 50L and severed for making any desired shorter length slopingmember 50. In FIG. 5, the stock long length 50L is shown being severedinto shorter length sloping members 50-1, 50-2 and 50-3. As best shownin FIG. 2, each of the shorter length sloping members can be insertedinto the elongate channel member 26, end to end with each thick end 50Kadjacent a thin end 50N, for thereby providing a continuous inclinedsurface 50I along the entire length of the channel member 26 and throughthe corner channel sections 28C90, 28C45 and 28C30.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, the thin terminal end 50N is placed closestto the channel drain opening 38. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 2, thethinnest terminal end 50N of the short length member 50-1 is placedclosest to the channel drain opening 38. Accordingly, the elongatesloping member 50 forms a continuous inclined surface 50I sloping towardthe drain opening 38 so that water or other liquids that flow into thechannel member 26 may flow along the inclined surface 50I and outthrough the channel drain opening 38.

Preferably, the preformed elongate sloping member 50 is sealed and/orcovered with a preformed impermeable elongate covering layer 52.Covering layer 52 is preferably a thin strip of PVC plastic or otherwater impermeable material which can be cut to a length and widthcorresponding to the sloping member inclined surface 50I. As shown inFIG. 2, a longer length covering layer 52 has been cut to shorter lengthcovering layer sections 52-1, 52-2 and 52-3 corresponding to and adaptedto be inserted into the channel 26 over and covering inclined surfaces50I of the respective short length sloping members 50-1, 50-2 and 50-3.The covering layer 52 is secured in place between the channel side walls32 and over the elongate sloping member 50 with an adhesive and/or otherbonding agents. Alternatively, a bonding or other plastically formablematerial can be poured or painted onto the sloping member inclinedsurface 50I for thereby forming an impermeable covering layer thereoverand between the channel walls 32.

An elongate grate supporting member 54 is provided and adapted to set onand be secured on the rim projections 34 at the side walls top edges34E. Supporting member 54 includes an outer rail 56, an inner rail 58,and ribs 60 extending therebetween for thereby forming large inletopenings 62. An elongate grate receiving channel 68 is formed andprovided over the ribs 60 and inlet openings 62 and between the outerand inner rails 56, 58. The elongate grate 22 is adapted to fit into thegrate receiving channel 68. Supporting member 54 is preferably made ofPVC plastic and/or other water resistant materials.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the trench drain system 12 can be locatedadjacent a vertical wall 18, with the outer rail 56 of the gratesupporting member 54 being located adjacent the vertical wall 18.Advantageously, vertical wall tile 64 can bear upon and be supported bythe outer rail 56 when the wall tiles 64 are being adhered to thevertical wall 18. As also best seen in FIG. 3, outer rail 56 issufficiently wide and includes a finish surface 66 so that the outerrail 56 can be placed abutting the vertical wall 18 and accommodate thethickness of the wall tile 64. That is, after the wall tile 64 has beensecured to the vertical wall 18, the tile thickness does not interferewith and the finish surface 66 remains visible. More importantly, thegrate receiving channel 68 is thereby located a short distance from thewall tile 64 so that the tile does not interfere with and so that thegrate 22 can readily and easily be place in and removed from the channel68.

The inner rail advantageously forms a lip for abutment of the floor tile20. That is, after the area over the floor 14 and adjacent the channelmember 26 is filled with a fill material 70 to the height of the sidewalls top edge 34E, inner rail 58 provides an abutting edge for thefloor tile 20. This also locates the finish floor surface 16 as high asthe grate 22 so that water thereon may flow from the finish floorsurface 16 over and onto the grate 22.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the grate supporting members 54 are mitercut at their terminal ends as indicated by the numeral 70 foraccommodating and fitting over the corner channel sections 28C90, 28C45and 28C30. As mentioned herein above, elongate grate 22 fits snugly inthe channel 68 of the elongate grate supporting member 54. Grate 22 issimilarly preferably made of PVC plastic and/or other water resistantmaterials. Grate 22 includes an elongate flat body 71 having a finishsurface 72 and a plurality of inlet openings 74. For accommodating andfitting over the corner sections 28C90, corner caps 73 are provided andsecured at the terminal ends of the individual grate sections 22 byinserting into the channel 68 at the mitered corners 70 of the gratesupporting member 54.

Accordingly, with the grate 22 located in the grate supporting memberchannel 68, water and/or other liquids can flow from a floor surface 16and from the vertical wall tile 64 onto the grate 22 and through thegrate inlet openings 74, through the large inlet openings 62 of thegrate supporting member 54, through the elongate channel inlet 36 intothe channel member 26, along the inclined surface 50I and then outthrough the channel drain opening/outlet 38.

As mentioned herein above, after the elongate channel member 26 isplaced on the floor surface 14, the area adjacent the channel member 26over the level floor surface 14 is filled with a fill material 70 to theheight of the side walls top edge 34E so that water and/or other liquidson the surface 76 of the fill material and/or the finish floor surface16 may flow into the channel member 26. The fill material surface 76 isinclined having a slope toward the side walls top edge 34E and so, afterinstallation of the floor tile 20 thereon, the tile floor surface 16 issimilarly inclined having a slope toward the side walls top edge 34E.

Fill material 70 can be preformed and/or a plastically formable hardsetting material. When using a plastically formable fill material suchas concrete, preferably, a floor height setting post 78 is used forsetting a desired height, higher than the side walls top edge 34E, andpositioning the fill material and forming the inclined floor surface 76.Floor height setting post 78 includes a base 80 adapted to sit on thelevel floor surface 14 and a post 82 extending perpendicular andvertically upwardly from the base 80. Post 82 extends verticallyupwardly to a terminal end 82 and includes stacked breakaway sections 86separated by weakened areas 88. By severing at the weakened areas 88 andremoving one or more breakaway sections 86, the height of the postterminal end 84 can be modified so as to extend to a desired height fromthe level floor 14 for thereby creating a reference plane (between thepost terminal end 84 and the side wall top edge 34E) and for positioningthe plastically formable fill material floor surface 76 at an inclinesloping from the post terminal end 84 toward the channel side wall topedge 34E. After positioning, the plastically formable fill material isallowed to harden for thereby providing an inclined hard floor surface76.

As shown in FIG. 6, a floor height setting post 78 can be used generallyin the middle of a trench drain system 12 whereby the fill materialfloor surface 76 can be sloped, as indicated by arrows S, toward theelongate channel member side wall top edge 34E and/or grate 22 whichextend around the entire perimeter. As shown and depicted in FIG. 7,several floor height setting posts 78 can be used when theperimeter/trench drain system 12 is not symmetrical whereby, again, thefloor surface 76 can be sloped as indicated by arrows S toward thechannel side wall top edges 34E.

As shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, fill material 70 can be a preformedsloping sheet member 90 adapted to be placed on the level floor surface14 and form the inclined floor surface 76. The sloping sheet member 90includes a thick end 90K tapering down to a thin end 90N, a bearingbottom surface 90B, side walls 90S, and a sloping sheet member topinclined surface 90I. As shown in FIG. 11, sloping sheet member 90 canbe cut from larger preformed sloping stock sheets 90L.

In use, sloping sheet member 90 is placed on the level floor surface 14with its bottom surface 90B bearing upon the floor surface 14 and itsthin end 90N adjacent the elongate channel member 26. The height of thechannel member 26 indicated by arrows HC (from the channel bottom wall30 or floor 14 to the side walls top edges 34E) and the thickness of thesloping sheet member 90 at its thin end 90N indicated by arrows HF aresubstantially equal, and so the sheet member inclined surface 90I formsthe fill material inclined floor surface 76. As should now beappreciated, one or more preformed sloping sheet members 90 can be usedas shown in FIGS. 10 and 12 for thereby filling the area adjacent thechannel member 26 and over the level floor surface 14 and forming theinclined floor surface 76 sloping as indicated by arrows S toward thechannel side wall top edges 34E.

Preferably, the preformed sloping sheet member 90 is made of a materialselected from one or more of foam, plastic, and fiberglass such that theoverall weight of the fill material 70 forming the inclined floorsurface 76 is relatively small. This is particularly useful when thetrench drain system 26 is installed on a structural floor 92 as, forexample, depicted in FIG. 3. Structural floor 92 can, as shown, beconstructed with a plurality of wood joists 94 and a subfloor layer 96thereover, and for this and/or other reasons it may not be feasible toinstall a concrete raised floor thereon. In these installations, thepreformed sloping sheet member 90 is particularly useful.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 14 and 15, a trench drainsystem 12 is illustrated wherein a channel side wall drain section 28DSis incorporated and a pipe 40 is connected to its opening/outlet 38. Asshown, pipe 40 can traverse over the floor surface 14 to a desiredlocation for connecting to an existing floor drain (not shown). A pipe40 is shown in dash lines depicting an alternate floor drain whereto thedrain opening 38 may be connected by traversing over the floor surface14. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10, when pipe 40 is connected to achannel bottom drain section 28DB, pipe 40 traverses/extends through thefloor surface 14.

While the invention has been described as having an exemplary design,the present invention may be further modified within the spirit andscope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended tocover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using itsgeneral principles.

1-39. (canceled)
 40. A method of installing a trench drain on a levelfloor surface comprising the steps of placing an elongate channel memberon the floor surface, the channel member having a bottom surface, sidewalls extending upwardly therefrom to side walls top edges, a channelinlet between the side walls top edges and a drain opening; and, fillingan area adjacent the channel over the level floor surface with apreformed sloping sheet member having a thick end tapering to a thin endby placing the sheet member on the level floor surface with the thin endadjacent the channel and thereby forming an inclined floor surfacesloping toward a channel side wall top edge, whereby liquid on theinclined floor surface may flow into the channel member through thechannel inlet and then out through the channel drain opening.
 41. Themethod of claim 40 wherein the sloping sheet member is preformed of amaterial selected from one or more of foam, plastic, and fiberglass. 42.The method of claim 40 further comprising the step of locating anelongate grate over the channel opening.
 43. The method of claim 42wherein the elongate channel member comprises one or more preformedchannel sections selected from elongate straight channel sections, 90°corner sections, 45° corner sections, 30° corner sections and sectionswith a drain opening and wherein, during said step of placing, aplurality of channel sections are adhered to one another for therebyforming the elongate channel member.
 44. The method of claim 42 whereinthe trench drain is installed in a shower room including a shower sprayhead adapted to spray water onto the fill material.
 45. The method ofclaim 40 wherein, during said step of placing, a channel side wall topedge is placed adjacent a vertical wall, and further comprising the stepof adhering wall tile on the vertical wall over the adjacent side walltop edge, whereby liquid on the vertical wall tile may also flow intothe channel member.
 46. The method of claim 40 wherein the channel drainopening extends through the channel bottom surface, and furthercomprising the step of connecting a pipe traversing through the floorsurface to the channel drain opening.
 47. The method of claim 40 whereinthe channel drain opening extends in part through a channel side wall,and further comprising the step of connecting a pipe traversing over thefloor surface to the channel drain opening.
 48. The method of claim 40wherein the elongate channel member comprises one or more preformedchannel sections selected from elongate straight channel sections, 90°corner sections, 45° corner sections, 30° corner sections and sectionswith a drain opening and wherein, during said step of placing, aplurality of channel sections are adhered to one another for therebyforming the elongate channel member.
 49. The method of claim 40 whereinthe trench drain is installed in a shower room including a shower sprayhead adapted to spray water onto the fill material. 50-62. (canceled)63. The method of claim 40 wherein, prior to said step of filling, thepreformed sloping sheet member is cut from a larger preformed slopingstock sheet.
 64. The method of claim 63 wherein the preformed slopingstock sheet is preformed of a material selected from one or more offoam, plastic, and fiberglass.
 65. The method of claim 40 wherein,during said step of filling, a plurality of preformed sloping sheetmembers are placed on the level floor surface and form the inclinedfloor surface.
 66. The method of claim 65 wherein, prior to said step offilling, the plurality of preformed sloping sheet members are cut from alarger preformed sloping stock sheet.
 67. The method of claim 66 whereinthe preformed sloping stock sheet is preformed of a material selectedfrom one or more of foam, plastic, and fiberglass.
 68. The method ofclaim 65 wherein tile is adhered over and onto the inclined surface. 69.The method of claim 40 wherein tile is adhered over and onto theinclined surface.
 70. The method of claim 65 further comprising the stepof inserting a preformed elongate sloping member having a thick endtapering to a thin end into the channel on the bottom surface with thethin end closest to the channel drain opening, the sloping memberforming an inclined surface sloping toward the drain opening.
 71. Themethod of claim 40 further comprising the step of inserting a preformedelongate sloping member having a thick end tapering to a thin end intothe channel on the bottom surface with the thin end closest to thechannel drain opening, the sloping member forming an inclined surfacesloping toward the drain opening.
 72. The method of claim 40 furtherwherein an elongate grate supporting member having a plurality of largeinlet openings is placed over the channel opening and an elongate grateis placed over said grate supporting member.